Business management system and method for a deregulated electric power market using consumer site anomaly detection

• US 20030139939A1
• Filed: 05/10/2002
• Published: 07/24/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 05/10/2001
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Siemens Energy Incorporated (Siemens AG)
• Original Assignee: Siemens Power Generation, Inc.
• Inventors: Hasling, William, Spool, Peter R., Soni, Dilip, Masticola, Stephen, Landi, William
• Granted Patent: US 7,127,330 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 705/1
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 19/042 using digital processors G05B19/05 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/02 Marketing; Price estimation or determination; Fundraising
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 3/008 involving trading of energy or energy transmission rights
• CPC Class Codes: Y02B 70/30 Systems integrating technologies related to power network operation and communication or information technologies for improving the carbon footprint of the management of residential or tertiary loads, i.e. smart grids as climate change mitigation technology in the buildings sector, including also the last stages of power distribution and the control, monitoring or operating management systems at local level
• CPC Class Codes: Y04S 20/20 End-user application control systems
• CPC Class Codes: Y04S 50/10 Energy trading, including energy flowing from end-user application to grid
• CPC Class Codes: Y04S 50/14 Marketing, i.e. market research and analysis, surveying, promotions, advertising, buyer profiling, customer management or rewards

Abstract

A business management method for remote detection of anomalies with interaction between an electric distribution company and a plurality of customer energy consumers with respective electric metering systems, comprises the steps of: the consumers providing respective metering system data to the electric distribution company; the electric distribution company monitoring the respective electric metering system data; the electric distribution company monitoring for anomalies in the data; the electric distribution company performing remote online diagnostics upon detection of an anomaly; upon a finding that the electric metering system of a respective customer energy consumer is functioning properly, the electric distribution company notifies the respective customer energy consumer; and upon a finding that the electric metering system of a respective customer energy consumer is not functioning properly, the electric distribution company schedules a repair visit with the respective customer energy consumer. The method is likewise applicable to other commodities such as a water supply, fuel gas supply, or the like.

Claims

1. A business management method for remote detection of anomalies with interaction between an electric distribution company and a plurality of customer energy consumers with respective electric metering systems, said method comprising the steps of:

said consumers providing respective metering system data to said electric distribution company;

said electric distribution company monitoring said respective electric metering system data;

said electric distribution company monitoring for anomalies in said data;

said electric distribution company performing remote online diagnostics upon detection of an anomaly;

upon a finding that said electric metering system of a respective customer energy consumer is functioning properly, said electric distribution company notifies said respective customer energy consumer; and

upon a finding that said electric metering system of a respective customer energy consumer is not functioning properly, said electric distribution company schedules a repair visit with said respective customer energy consumer.

2. A business management method as recited in claim 1, wherein said steps wherein said electric distribution company notifies said respective customer energy consumer and wherein said electric distribution company schedules a repair visit are performed by email.

3. A business management method as recited in claim 1, wherein said steps wherein said electric distribution company notifies said respective customer energy consumer and wherein said electric distribution company schedules a repair visit are performed by a palmtop device.

4. A business management method as recited in claim 1, wherein said steps wherein said electric distribution company notifies said respective customer energy consumer and wherein said electric distribution company schedules a repair visit are performed by a desktop computer.

5. A business management method as recited in claim 1, wherein said steps wherein said electric distribution company notifies said respective customer energy consumer and wherein said electric distribution company schedules a repair visit are performed by a smart phone.